Health and wellbeing are two of the most important things in life. Let’s face it, if you didn’t have your health where would you be? Fitness and daily exercise play a huge role in helping us look after our body, mind and general sense of happiness so it is vital we make these a priority at all times of the year – yes, even the festive season!
The party season is when our exercise plans seem to take the back burner and quickly drop off the daily checklist, ahead of celebrations and 24-hour shopping.
Although our time seems shorter and precious it is always important to fit in some activity to keep the body active and free of fatigue. What’s that? You don’t have any time to spare? Believe it or not there is a simple, quick and effective way to keep up with your daily fitness activity and that is…Walking! It’s easy, cheap and the benefits of walking are huge!
Health benefits of walking:
A simple brisk 20-minute walk each day is great for boosting health and creating motivation. It doesn’t take up too much time but a short work can go a long way.
Whether you walk alone, with a friend or partner or with a pet, its great to take that time to stay fit and healthy together or even for a little time out on your own. You could walk to the local shops, to a friends house, around your block or even to the train station to and from on your way to work, the possibilities are endless.
Substitute driving on that short trip and turn it into your 20-minute walk for the day, its the festive season so your almost guaranteed great weather conditions too!
Walking is so good for you that its even being recommended for cancer patients for after treatment to minimise fatigue and as a means to bring back some energy to the body.
Carol Enderlin, who studied fatigue and cancer in the United States told Reuters Health that if safe and approved by doctors, ‘cancer patients should maintain a level of at least comfortable activity in order to keep up their endurance, to keep up their strength and to promote function’.
I believe the jury is out and the facts speak for themselves, walking can do wonders for the human body! This holiday season make some time to go for that walk daily, I even dare you to walk around your block caroling at every doorstep.
Happy Festive Season and Happy Walking!